First
by ladycamila
Summary: They argue the first time they meet. Modern AU.


The first time they meet is in the first grade. They were arguing as children do, over something trivial and there are no facts just hard ill-informed opinions about things that don't really matter. She calls him _stupid _and he calls her a mean little _lady._ After that he pulls her hair and she throws sand into his face. Her parents are notified and she gets scolded by her mother.

When Sansa finds her crying frustrated tears she pats her sister gently on the back.

"They say boys are mean to you when they like you." She tries to assure her sister. But Arya only cries harder.

The first time they talk and don't argue is when they are in the fifth grade. He's quiet during their lunch break and his head hangs low. When he leaves the lunch table she follows him.

"What do _you _want?" He sneers. She doesn't really know. But her friend (or more accurately 'the only person besides Sansa that gets Arya worked up but unlike with Sansa she quite enjoys bickering with him and would never admit it to anyone but thinks that Gendry is her favorite non-family person') is obviously upset and she's nosey (because she may like to fight with him but and she may favor him but she doesn't _care_ about him).

She wants to know why he is acting all mope-y and stupid. And she tells him as much.

She expects him to fight her but he does not. His shoulders slump and he wipes at his eyes with his sleeves.

"My mom is sick."

Well that seems like a silly reason to be upset. When she tells him this he glares at her.

"No, she's _sick_ idiot." She hates when he talks to her like that, like he is older and wiser than her. He isn't either of those things (well maybe older but only by a few months).

"Well what kind of _sick_? Has she seen a doctor?" She sits next to him on the ground and bumps her shoulder lightly with his.

"Of course she has, that's how she knows she's sick Arya." He sounds just like her mother whenever someone asks a stupid question and a blush spreads onto her cheeks but she says nothing.

"It's cancer. She says it's the kind that only girls can get." He shrugs his shoulders. Arya doesn't know what to say. She knows very little about what cancer is or what it means for the person who has it but she knows that her mother had a friend who had it and she passed away recently. Arya finds herself getting a little chocked up over the thought of Gendry losing his mom and she bites her lip hard to push the tears back.

"She'll be alright. A lot of people have cancer and survive." She has no idea if that's true but she says it with all the conviction that her small body can muster.

"But there are a lot of people who die because of it too." He's wiping at his eyes again and she gets a little mad because she just doesn't know what to say or do.

"She's going to be fine, stupid. The doctors will be sure of that. And the gods too, they must like you if they gave _you _a friend like _me_."

He gives her a watery smile and gets to his feet, wiping at his eyes one more time before they both head back to the lunch room.

(Where she roughly shoves her little bag of fruit gummies at him and ignores his affectionate smile)

The first time they hug is when they're in the eighth grade.

It's not a particularly happy hug. Neither party wanted to participate but it's not something that could have been avoided.

Her dad dies.

He's killed in the parking garage of his work in cold blood. The police suspect that the head of a rival company has had him killed but Cersei Lannister has covered her tracks too well and hired the right type of hit man for the job (someone who could just _disappear_). So the case is left unsolved and no one is punished for the murder of her father.

She misses a week of school after it happens and Gendry finds himself anxious and grumpy without her. Hot Pie brings him cakes for lunch but they don't taste as good when Arya's not around.

When his mother told him the news he had immediately felt sick and tears stung at his eyes.

_Why Arya? _He thinks to himself. She can be a brat and a pain in his ass but he knows how kind and gentle she can be when she thinks no one is watching. She doesn't let anyone get bullied when she's around; apparently thinking that it is her duty to care for those who cannot protect themselves.

He wants to call her or go to her house and see her but his mother shakes her head. _What she needs is some space Gendry, she will seek you out when she is ready_ his mother says.

When she returns to school she looks awful, her short hair is matted and her eyes are constantly glossy and all the teachers speak to her gently and you can tell it makes her even more miserable.

So after her first Monday back, he hugs her because he has no idea what else to do. She tenses at first but then wraps her arms around him and he feels her shake as the tears fall.

The hug ends quickly and awkwardly and she punches him but doesn't turn him down when he asks if she wants to come over to his house and play video games.

The first time they hold hands is when they sneak out to watch the midnight opening of a horror film. Critics call it 'the scariest film of all time' and Theon somehow saw the early premiere in Kings Landing and texted Arya saying 'I literally shit my pants, oh my god'. The text is followed by some pleading, 'please for the love of everything holy DO NOT TELL JON AND ROBB THAT I SHIT MY PANTS'.

She mopes all day because her mom has forbidden her from seeing a movie so late on a school night. Arya huffs and puffs around the house until she finally settles on reading on her bed.

Long after the matriarch of the Stark family goes to bed, Robb knocks on Arya's door before entering her room quietly. He tip toes in a cartoony manner until he stands right next to her bed. Arya laughs but her brother shushes her.

He pulls out his wallet and hands her enough money for a ticket and some snacks and she has to cover her mouth with her hands so she doesn't laugh out loud.

When she has the money tucked away under her pillow her Robb kisses her forehead and leaves but not before warning her to be quiet and safe or else mom will have both of their heads on pike. She nods and promises to be good.

She's about to text Gendry when he beats her to it.

_Want to get ur scare on?_

Her eyes roll on their own accord.

_Hells yes biatch_

She's giddy and she tells herself it's just pre-sneaking out nerves.

_Meet me at the drop off spot at 11. O and bring yer own money for food, I can't afford to feed yer fat ass_

Her hand covers her mouth again so she doesn't wake up the house with her barks of laughter.

_Oh Gendry, you sure know how to sweet talk a lady_

_Psh, you're no lady_

_THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN SAYING ALL ALONG_

After her shower she puts a touch of mascara on her lashes and some chapstick. There is no reason to paint her face because it's _just _Gendry. And her heart is thudding because she's about to do something that will get her a mighty lecture from her mother if she ever finds out. When she slips on skinny jeans that make her butt look _wow _and a black shirt that kind of slips off of her right shoulder and showing off the strap of the red lacy bra that she has on it is only because the outfit is comfortable. Not because she's seen him eye her ass in these jeans or because she still feels chills go down her spine when she thinks of the slow way his hands brushed her shoulder when he pulled the shirt back over her should when it slipped off the first time.

Not even.

By the time she slips on her socks and boots it's time for her to leave, so she grabs her purse and money and opens her window. She climbs the tree down the way Bran taught her how and she manages to land with a little _mmpf_ when she lands on her feet at the base of the tree.

It's much colder out than she expected but she doesn't have the time or the patience to go back up to her room so she walks as quickly as she can to their spot. It's only a block away from her house but they use it when they are up to no good. It used to be where they would meet when they were going to walk to school together but since Gendry got his license and his car (a gift from Robert Baratheon who is now all of the sudden trying to buy his eldest male bastards love) it's been where he picks her up to take them to school or to the book store or to hassle Hot Pie into giving them free food. She'll probably never tell him but it the passenger seat of his car is where she feels the safest and the most loved; it's truly her favorite place in the world.

He's already waiting for her when she gets to the spot and when she sees how handsome he looks in his casual jeans, shirt, and leather jacket her stomach flips so violently that she might just throw up.

When he notices her, he gets out of the car and half-jogs to the other side so that he can open the door for her.

"Milady," he says as he beckons her into the car. She slips in and before he closes the door their eyes meet and she suddenly feels like their whole dynamic is changing. Maybe it's just her though, maybe this stupid crush that she has been denying for so long is finally doing something to their relationship. She swore the moment that she realized that she had feelings for him that she wouldn't let it get in the way of the best friendship that she has and will probably ever have.

The gods have been merciful and she hasn't had to watch him date yet but she knows that as he grows taller and taller and more muscular that the ladies won't stay away forever. Well it's not so much that they are staying away but he just pays them no mind and most of them give up trying to get his attention.

He's gorgeous with his dark blue eyes and his black hair. His full lips make it hard for her to concentrate when he's talking to her and the first time she saw him shirtless after puberty sculpted him into an Adonis like creature is the first night she went home and rubbed her hands over herself and found pleasure with his name on her tongue.

"Arya?" His deep voice brought her out of her thoughts. He kept one hand on the steering wheel but the other ghosted over her shoulder.

"Are you okay? You're a little quiet." His warm hand rested on her shoulder and his fingers played with the hem of her shirt.

"Yeah, I'm alright. Robb gave me his blessing to sneak out tonight and I'm just worried about screwing it up." It wasn't a lie.

"It'll be fine. We'll eat copious amounts of sugar and buttery popcorn while we watch what has been promised to be the scariest movie of all time then you'll go home and sleep for like four hours then drag your sorry ass out of bed and I'll pick you up and maybe if I'm feeling particularly nice we'll skip our first class and go get pancakes."

"Well when you put it like _that_." Her cheeks were hot from the blushing and her shoulder was warm from his hand and her heart was all over her chest with its wild thumping.

When they drove by Hot Pie's house it occurred to her that when they usually did stuff like go see movies they always went with Hot Pie.

"Oh shit, we are never going to hear the end of it if Hot Pie finds out that we went without him." She grimaced and Gendry's hand slipped from her shoulder and down to her knee where he squeezed it reassuringly.

"Him and Anguy are going too but I just figured it would be more fun with just the two of us." It was his turn to blush and Arya found herself speechless. Instead of saying anything stupid she merely set her hand upon his and brushed her thumb over his knuckles.

They didn't talk for the rest of the car ride to the theater but they both groaned when they saw how long the line was.

When they bought their tickets and set about to the concession stand Arya saw Hot Pie and Anguy standing a few feet away and was about to say something when she saw that they had seen her and were snickering to each other. When Gendry looked over at them they gave him four thumbs up and Anguy made a gesture with his hands that caused Arya to blush. She pretended that she didn't see it and soon enough they were seated in the middle of the packed theater.

Unfortunately they were sitting next to Jeyne Heddle, well, Gendry was anyway. She struck up conversation with him easily and Arya sat there awkwardly playing with her phone. The vibration caught her off guard and she rolled her eyes when she saw what Sansa had texted her.

_I'M SITTING TWO ROWS BEHIND YOU, YOU LITTLE SHIT. ARE YOU ON A DATE? YOU LOOK PRETTY! I might be a little drunk._

Arya turned to see her sister and Margaery laughing and waving at her. She waved back and snorted. Gendry and Jeyne turned to her and she shrugged.

_No I'm not on a date. He's stupid._

She listened to bits and pieces of Gendry and Jeyne's conversation while she waited for her sister to reply.

_Arya, this is Marg. I stole your sisters phone to tell you that you are such a fucking babe and if he is talking to that SKANKY HO instead of you than you're right he is stupid. I'm sure we can kick the creepy guy that is sitting next to me out of his seat and you can come sit with meeeee. _

Arya and Margaery didn't speak much but it still meant so much coming from her. Arya peered over her phone to see Gendry looking at her and that pretty much guaranteed that she would be staying in her seat. The lights lowered and Arya sent a quick message back to her sister before the trailers started.

_I think I'm okay. Thank you though. Try not to be too obnoxious during the movie. Love you ladies. _

The trailers played and more than once Gendry leaned over and whispered how he wanted to see the movie that was previewed. She would nod and he would smile a little and it was stupid that her stomach was doing that thing again because he so obviously meant that he just wanted to see it in general. Not with Arya specifically. Hell, he probably would see one of them with Jeyne, especially if she kept smiling at him like a dog in heat. _Ugh._

She stuffed her mouth full of popcorn in order to weigh down her dancing stomach.

The movie opened with some cliché line about how the footage they were about to show you was totally real.

There was a point where something banged loudly and the occupants of the house were startled and Arya almost laughed out of embarrassment because she yelped with surprise.

That's when it happened.

Gendry's hand slowly enveloped hers and together they wound their fingers together.

Whenever something scary would happen she'd squeeze his hand and his thumb would rub her knuckles to soothe her. The crowd was loud and the air was buzzing with happy nervousness as everyone watched the family on the screen get the shit scared out of them by an unseen demon that was promised a male child long ago and is now collecting his debt.

She knew the movie was coming to an end soon but she willed it to stay on a little bit longer, not wanted to let go of his hand.

When the movie got to its most intense moments she could hear Sansa and Margaery talking loudly, sounding more than a _little_ drunk.

"No, don't go back in the house."

"LEAVE HIS ASS THERE AND RUN BITCH."

She heard Gendry laugh and her heart thudded in her chest.

The movie ended with an uncomfortable and creepy cliffhanger that left Arya more than a little frazzled, but the tension left her body when Gendry didn't let go of her. Instead he pulled her to her feet where she could see the annoyed look on Jeyne's face. Arya tried not to look smug but she really didn't care.

While everyone was filing out of the theater she looked up at Sansa and Margaery who were looking right at her and doing a little dance while looking pleased with themselves. Sansa was kissing the air dramatically and Margaery was humping the air and pointing between Arya and Gendry.

Arya tried to steer Gendry's attention away from them but he saw them and turned bright red.

He didn't stop holding her hand the whole way home.

The first time they kiss is when Sansa throws her first non-chaperoned house party. It's Halloween, of course, and Sansa is dressed as Black Widow and Arya hates to admit it but her sister looks _hot. _Arya is dressed as some sort of slutty princess and it feels all kinds of wrong.

The only reason she let her sister pick out her Halloween costume and do her make-up and hair is because that prick Joffery Baratheon had just broken up with Sansa and what a wonderful distraction it would be to make a beast like Arya into a glowing beauty.

"You really do look so beautiful Arya. I love how you have let your hair grow out." Sansa had cooed while she ripped at the knots in Arya's hair. For the first time in the last few days Arya sees Sansa's eye sparkle and thusly bites back a nasty comment.

Now people are pouring into the house and Arya is tugging at the tiny dress that her sister has stuffed her in. The more she tries to cover her legs the more the fabric slips off of her chest, choosing the lesser of two evils, she pulls the dress up enough to cover most of her cleavage.

Margaery raises an eyebrow at her and smiles in a way that reminds Arya of a cat going in for the kill.

"Baby girl, stop your fussing. You are hot and boys will be begging for your v-card by the end of the night." Margaery whispers flirtatiously as she pulls Arya's dress down just enough to show some tasteful cleavage (although, how the fuck can one be tasteful when your ass is nearly hanging out of your dress). Margaery stalks off without a sound and her Greek goddess dress sways gracefully behind her and leaves the air smelling like vodka.

The party is barely in swing and Marg is drunk.

_This should end well_ Arya thinks with a roll of her eyes.

Arya stands awkwardly in the corner of the living room nursing a citrus-y soda. If she wasn't so focused on some guy doing a pretty impressive keg stand, Arya might have noticed Gendry walking toward her. His jaw was shut tight and his eyes fell from her full red painted lips to her pale cleavage to her long legs. It seemed that he always feels his fingers itch to touch her but now he's nearly in a manic state, when he's close enough to breathe in her sweet scent she finally turn to him.

"And who are you supposed to be?" Her eyes roam over his outfit slowly. He's wearing a flannel shirt underneath his leather jacket, it looks a size too small and it really shows how broad his chest really is. His dark blue jeans and boots bring the look together and she struggles to play it cool.

"I'm Wolverine or Captain America on his off time. You know, that kind of badass look, it drives woman wild." He tilts his head sideways in that smug way of his and when he looks down at her dress she suddenly feels very naked.

"I'm um, well judging by the colors of this _thing _I guess I'm supposed to be Snow White. Sansa's idea, obviously." He nods and grabs the soda from her hand and takes a long swig. He shakes the can and feels bad that he drank most of what was left of her soda.

"Where can I get you another one of these?" He asks her while he holds up the can for emphasis. She points him towards the kitchen.

"Be right back." He somehow makes his way through the flood of people. He finds the soda easy enough but is stopped by a group of girls who ask him if he'd like to drink some shots with them. He politely declines and continues to head back towards the scantily clad girl that he is very much in love with.

Yes, he can openly admit it to himself now. He's in love with her and has been since before he even knew what love was. He's sixteen and stupid but he knows that Arya is the best thing to ever happen to him.

When he gets back to her, she is trying to shrug some guy off and he watches as the douchebag gets grabby and takes Arya by the hip to whisper something in her ear. She shoves him forcefully and the guy is about to try again when Gendry comes to his senses and gets in between them.

"There a problem here?" Gendry has a solid six inches on the guy but still straightens his spine as much as he can to appear even bigger.

"Just askin' the lady to dance, dude." This makes Gendry shake with anger.

"She's not interested." Gendry states angrily. The short douche-y guy seems to get the message and huffs away. All of the anger melts away from him when he sees Arya looking at him with soft eyes. He can see her pull on her dress to try to cover herself and she lets out a frustrated grunt when her breasts spill more of the fabric.

He takes her hand and leads her to the stairs, when they reach the top of the stairs he lets her lead him to her room.

He hasn't ever been in her room and he tells her this to which she shrugs.

"It's nothing special."

But it is special. Everything about her is special to him and he finally gets to see the place that she sleeps and showers and he feels creepy at his own excitement.

She opens the door to her room and ushers him in. Closing the door and locking it she moves to the jack-n-jill bathroom that she shares with Sansa.

Her comforter is a pretty shade of dark purple and her bed is unbelievably comfortable when he lies down on it. He can hear the tap running and he assumes that she's washing her face.

When she returns to the room she is in one of his shirts and a pair of athletic shorts. She lies down next to him and grabs a remote to turn on the tv, she changes it to some channel that is playing some ghost hunting marathon, and they stay quiet for a bit.

He smells good and he feels warm lying next to her and she can't help it when she scoots a little closer to him. She buries her face into the crook of his neck and honestly all she's had to drink tonight was soda but she feels drunk with courage, especially when Gendry lets out a slow breath as her lips graze the soft spot under his ear. When his fingers find her knee and his calloused hands start to rub her legs softly she sighs with contentment.

They've done this before, a sort of semi-cuddle that leaves them both feeling frustrated. Neither of them wants to make the first move because they both know there is no going back, they won't be able to hide from their feelings once their lips meet.

Gendry turns his head towards her slowly and she holds her breath.

His lips brush hers so gently that she nearly misses the feeling all together. He does it again and again and then he's kissing her cheeks and nose and eye lids.

When his lips find hers again she kisses him with the same gentleness that he gives her. The kiss is lazy and tender, nothing like she imagined it would be. The softness is so out of character for them but she really can't find it within herself to mind, it feels good and it feels so _right _and she wants to kiss him like this for a million years.

The tip of his tongue slides over her bottom lip and she grants him access to her mouth without hesitation. It's only when their teeth and nose collide that she realizes that he may have as little experience as her. Sure, she's been kissed before, but there was never any tongue and it was never very enthusiastic. Her first, second, and third kiss were all with Ned Dayne and each was somehow worse than the last. First it was truth-or-dare in the eighth grade, and then it was spin the bottle in the ninth grade, then it was under the bleachers at a football game and each time she pushed him away and rolled her eyes.

Arya and Gendry pull their heads apart just for a moment. They come together slowly and when she parts her mouth for him, his tongue glides into her mouth easily and their tongues dance together sweetly.

They kiss like that for a while, exploring each other in no real hurry. The party continues downstairs and the music hums around them and the television is forgotten.

Their first date is just a week later and it's delightfully cheesy.

It's November and chilly and it's the last movie-in-the-park until spring so Gendry packs two blankets, some food, and twin mugs of hot chocolate for them to share. He doesn't tell her where they are going but she guesses a few minutes before they get there. He tries to act annoyed that she's figured it out but her eyes are sparkling and she has a small smile on her lips and gods he'll do whatever it takes to make her give him the look of pure adoration that she's giving him now.

There aren't as many people seated in the park as per usual but they both find that they like it better that way. Gendry lays a thick blanket onto the grass far enough away from everyone else that they can have a little privacy but close enough to the screen that they don't have to squint. The movie starts and it an old black and white romance film where everyone is smoking and drinking whiskey and the acting is flawless.

When the wind picks up halfway through the movie, Gendry wraps the second blanket around them and she hums in delight when he hands her a lemon cake.

He kisses her and her face is cold and his probably is too but they warm each other up.

Their first boyfriend-girlfriend fight is also the first time they break up which leads to the first time they get back together.

They're both surprised that it takes so long to happen. They both feel insecure about their feelings for each other and often times she bites him too hard when they are kissing and sometimes he says things that he knows will hurt her because they both are angry and confused because they love each other but are so young and they don't want this to end badly.

Arya tries to put it into words when she explains it to Sansa and she thinks that Sansa can kind of see where she is coming from. It's not that she wants to hurt him but sometimes she thinks about him kissing someone else and she bites his lip hard to punish him for something he hasn't done. She feels silly and scared and it comes to its climax when she sees him talking to Jeyne Heddle in the hallway at school.

When she thinks back on it, she realizes that it was petty jealousy making her see things that weren't there. But in the moment she feels that they are standing far too close to each other and she thinks she sees his eyes dancing in that way that is only supposed to be for her, for _Arya_.

She huffs away from the scene and doesn't talk to him for the rest of the day, she even blows off her plans with him for the weekend, claiming that she's sick. He stops by her house with some soup that Hot Pie made but she pretends to be asleep so he leaves it on her night stand and kisses her forehead before he goes.

When Monday comes around, she plans on breaking things off with him so that he can be happy with someone else, with _Jeyne_. She meets him at their pick-up spot and they drive to school in stony silence. They pull into the parking lot and she's about to tell him that she's sorry but it's over between them but he speaks up first.

"So are you going to tell me why you really blew me off this weekend or are we going to pretend that you were really sick?" His voice is angry and she can't meet his eye when she shrugs and his grip on the steering wheel tightens until his knuckles are white.

"I hung out with Jeyne instead." His words sting her right to the core and she can feel the tears flood her eyes but she shrugs again anyway. She knows he's only saying it to hurt her feelings, she knows that all he really did was sit on his ass and play video games with Hot Pie. She knows this because Hot Pie sent her a pleading message to just talk to Gendry because he won't stop yelling at the game console whenever he loses.

"That's cool." Her nonchalant answer makes him take a deep, angry breath. Class is about to start but her body feels like it's made of led and she can't seem to peel herself from her seat.

"What did you do this weekend? Besides ignore your boyfriend, who by the way, hasn't done anything wrong and doesn't deserve this kind of treatment." She wants to laugh at him because he seriously just said that.

He seriously just said that after he tried to use her insecurities against her. It's a cold slap on the face when she thinks about how cruel he can be when it comes to her fragile self-image. She wants to be pretty and gentle for him and she tries so hard but it's just not her. She tries to wear dresses and sandals but she feels naked and shy when she does and he never seems to give her the right reassurance about it.

"I hung out with Ned Dayne. His lips are quite soft. Softer than yours." She regrets saying it even as it's coming out of her mouth. Of course she didn't hang out with Ned, in fact, she hasn't talked to the guy in weeks but he comes from a wealthy family and he gets exceptional grades and she knows that he makes Gendry feel subpar and stupid.

He looks at her incredulously.

"Yeah, well, Jeyne's cunt taste's a lot sweeter than I thought it would." His voice cracks and she knows that he doesn't want to say these things, these lies, but their pride won't let the words stop coming out. She can't hold back the sob that his words bring out in her and he smiles coldly at her and tells her to get the hell out of his car.

She does.

She finds the closest girls bathroom and texts Sansa.

_I think Gendry & I just broke up. Need help. Please. _

Sansa's reply is almost immediate.

_Where are you? I'll be right there baby girl._

Sansa stays true to her word because just a few minutes later she and Margaery are huddled around her in one of the bathroom stalls and she tells them what happened and she loses count of how many sobs she holds back.

The older girls give each other a look that Arya can't identify.

Soon enough she's ditched school, in Margaerys bed, and surrounded by two girls who try to coo her heartache away.

She wakes up in her own bed the next morning and her eyes hurt but the first thing she does is check her phone for any messages from Gendry.

There aren't any.

Sansa drives her to school and walks her to her first class. She gives her sister the biggest smile she can but her lips barely show her teeth and trying to smile just makes her sadder.

She sits with Sansa at lunch too.

And when the final bell rings, Sansa drives them home and guides Arya to her room where she collapses onto her bed and cries herself to sleep.

This goes on for three weeks.

They avoid each other completely and only see each other twice. It makes her heart hurt when she thinks about just how well they know each other, well enough to know exactly how to avoid each other almost perfectly.

It makes her feel lonely.

Hot Pie texts her every other day to check in but neither of them mention the _G _word and she is thankful for Hot Pie's sweet devotion to them both.

It's Saturday of the third week and on Monday it will be a full four weeks since they have spoken to each other. She's stopped checking her phone because she's always disappointed that _he _hasn't called or texted to apologize.

By this time her whole family knows that she's had her heartbroken but nobody but Sansa know that it is completely her own fault.

Jon and Robb try to make her feel better by saying mean things about _him_ but it only makes her feel sick to her stomach and they both apologize profusely when her eyes get glassy.

Bran plays video games with her and tries to distract her when they both notice that _he's _come online. She's grateful for it.

Rickon doesn't know what to make of it all but he cuddles up next to his big sister when she's sniffling by herself and he plays with her hair until they both fall asleep.

Even Theon takes pity on her and tells her ridiculous and embarrassing stories about his love life. She laughs for the first time in a while and Robb and Jon are so appreciative that they buy Theon a couple rounds of beer at a pub.

He gets drunk, starts a bar fight, steals a bike from a teenager, and pees on a cop car.

Robb sends her a picture of Theon getting handcuffed.

She laughs and laughs.

Her mother can make everything better and worse at the same time. At first, Catelyn bakes her lemon cakes but Arya can't even smell it without remembering their first date, she remembers the amazing way it tasted when it was on his tongue and suddenly it's not appetizing anymore. But then her mother gently encourages her to take the ballet class that she's been talking about and so she signs up the next day at the local dance center and focusing on her form draws her mind away from _him._

She still feels like there is a hole in her heart and more often than not she picks up her phone with every intention of making things right.

But she doesn't.

And neither does he.

Until it's just about Christmas and the holidays are a little hard on her family with her father gone but this is the first year where everything seems okay and nobody is melancholy (except Arya but shut up, she's smiling for her family and that's all that matters).

Arya bought _him_ a Christmas present months ago when she read a book that she had randomly picked up in her favorite book store, she stayed up all night reading that stupid book and the next day she bought another copy of it along with everything else that they had by that particular author. She knew Gendry would like them even though he wasn't as avid a reader as she. But still it was sci-fi at its best and that was Gendry's favorite.

The books sit in her closet, dusty and purposely forgotten.

She and Sansa are at the mall getting some last minute gifts when Sansa suddenly tenses beside her. Arya puts down the pretty bracelet she's holding (that she absolutely loves) to see what has her sister all wound up.

It's _him_. He's staring right at her and his mother is at his side and she's giving Arya a bright smile.

He looks tired, almost as tired as she feels, and she can't stand to look at him. So she backs out of the store slowly and makes for the food court.

She's not hungry.

Sansa find her eventually and says that Arya should at least try talking to him. She claims that she might feel better if they both have some closure, maybe they could even work things out.

Arya shakes her head.

The only thing worse than not talking to him is actually talking to him.

When it's time to open gifts on Christmas Arya is handed a small box by her sister whose eyes are dancing mischievously. The paper is pretty so Arya tears it as little as she can to get to the box.

It's the bracelet she was looking at in the store; the one that she was _almost _willing to go back into the store for. It's a thin and a dark gold with creamy pink stones and little fake diamonds on it. Arya slips it on and thanks her sister.

"Oh, it's not from _me_." She half whispers. Seeing the confused look on Arya's face, she continues.

"Gendry saw you eyeing it and when you ran out of the store he bought it and asked me to give it to you." The coolness of the bracelet suddenly feels like fire against her skin and she can't take the damn thing off fast enough.

Sansa grabs her hand gently and shakes her head.

"The boy is in love with you and he's hurting just as much as you if not more. Go call him." For a moment Arya looks at Sansa as if she has grown a second head. She feels betrayed for a moment, then angry, but most of all she just feels sad.

"He wouldn't have said those things to me and left me like this for so long if he loves me San, he just wouldn't." Arya feels like that's a good enough answer but Sansa gives her an eye roll.

"Well you love him don't you? That's why you ran away from him, why you hurt him, you were terrified of your feelings so you bailed."

"Yes, I suppose." Arya is feeling a little embarrassed that this conversation is happening right in front of her mother and other siblings.

"But you said things too. People say horrible things to the people they love. It happens. But you need to be a grown woman about this and set aside your pride. Now go."

Arya's legs move at their own accord and from the corner of her eye she can see her mother pull Sansa into a tight, proud hug.

She's in her room far too quickly for her own liking so she doesn't call him right away. Instead she lies on her bed and runs her fingers over the smooth stones of her bracelet.

The pain of her heartache has subsided little in the weeks following their break-up and she doesn't know how much longer it can last. She thinks that once is enough, him breaking her heart once is plenty. Maybe this ache in her soul will go away if given enough time and she'll never give herself to another person again.

But maybe this pain won't go away. Maybe she'll be this sad forever; it certainly felt like that in the beginning.

Her options weigh in her mind but her fingers have found her phone and she turns it on and there is a single text from _him, _from _Gendry._

_Merry Christmas_

He sent it nearly two hours ago according to her phone and she now her fingers can't move nearly as fast as she wants them to.

_Merry Christmas to you too Gen. Thank you for the bracelet, I love it._

She wants so badly to say _you_, I love _you_, not _it_. But even via text it is hard to say. Before he can reply she texts him again.

_I have some gifts for you too, bought them months ago, if you still want them._

She's giving him an out. If he's cruel enough to talk about some other woman's cunt during an argument then surely he can decline an offer like hers without batting an eyelash. But he doesn't decline.

_Please, Arya._

He agrees to meet her at their spot in fifteen minutes.

Quickly she dusts off the books and hustles around the house trying to find a box to put them in and her family laughs when she accidently leaves the house without shoes on in her haste. Sansa places a pretty blue bow on the top of the box while Arya tries to get her boots on at the speed of light.

They wave her away and Theon (who has just shown up) gives her a high five.

Gendry is waiting for her and she slips into his car without a word.

Her senses are on overdrive.

The leather seat is cool under her skin and even through her shirt she can feel it. The car smells the same and it brings back so many memories that she has to blink rapidly to hold back tears.

He doesn't look at her until she slides the box onto his lap. His eyes are tired and she sees the same sadness that she feels. He looks back down at the box and opens it carefully. He examines each book deliberately, scanning each summary on the backs of the books. The look on his face tells her that she got it exactly right and she feels pride and happiness seep back into her bones.

He's much quicker than she remembers because she doesn't have time to say anything before the box is thrown in the backseat and his hand is pulling her head towards him.

Their lips clash together and she opens her mouth and fights his tongue for dominance. One of her hands is grasping at his t-shirt while the other caresses his cheek. She feels his tears on her finger tips and she pulls away from him.

"I lied when I said that I hung out with her that weekend, and I never _ever _have touched her like that. It's only you, it's only ever been you. I'm sorry, _please_, Arya I'm so sorry." He sobs and the sound shakes her to her toes. She releases her death grip on his shirt so that both of her hands can cradle his face.

"I never…I find Edric repulsive. He's not _you_, nobody will ever be _you_." She realizes that they're kind of speaking in riddles but as long as she gets her point across, she doesn't care.

They kiss again.

They kiss and kiss and kiss.

In between kisses he tells her that he only wants _Arya_ stubborn, maddening, smart, _beautiful lovely Arya_. And when he sucks on the skin of her neck she tells them that money and last names don't mean shit to her, she just want _Gendry_ sweet, stupid, stubborn, _gorgeous Gendry_.

The first time they have sex they are bother virgins and it's on New Years Eve and it's sloppy and awkward but _perfect_.

It's not planned and romantic. She's not wearing sexy underwear, nor are there any candles or mood music. They just have his apartment to themselves and one thing leads to another.

They are cuddling on the couch watching a movie when his lips press against her neck and his hand starts to wander up and down her sides. He's tickling her and she tries to push him away but when she sees his darkened eyes she stills. They look at each other for a moment before she kisses him.

It starts out soft enough but it soon turns hungry and she straddling him and his hands touch her bare breasts beneath her shirt and he pinches her nipple and she grinds down onto him hard.

He does it again with the other nipple but meets her hip with his when she slams down onto him. He pulls her shirt off and she can't feel self-conscious about her small breasts when he is looking at her like _that_. One of his large hands rests on the small of her back while the other fondles her breasts. His lips find hers again and they grind together slowly.

She doesn't know how long they stay like that but soon enough he's standing and she wraps her legs around his waist and the hand that was resting on her back slide under her bottom and in a few long strides they are in his room and he's setting her gently onto the bed. She yanks at his shirt and he obliges her by taking it off and coming to rest over her. His kisses are more restrained than his cock which is pushing into her heat wickedly.

Her hands fumble as they undo the button and zipper on his jeans but she regains her confidence when he bucks into the hand that she has wrapped around his long length. He kicks his briefs and jeans away until he stands naked in front of her. He's beautiful and strong and just so _big_. Her pants and underwear are next and she yelps when his mouth finds her cunt and starts to lick and suck in all of the right ways. She gasps when he pinches her nipple a little harder this time and bucks into his mouth wildly as a single calloused finger enters her. She can feel his smug smile against her center so she tugs on his hair and purrs his name until his hips thrust into the mattress and he nearly spills himself right there.

He pulls away from her completely and inhales deeply. He wants this to last so he kisses he way up her body until his lips land on hers and they can't find it within themselves to be anything other than sweet and gentle. He only stops the kissing when he has to open the box of condoms that he bought. She moves to get her mouth around his cock but he pushes her away gently.

"Not this time, love."

He slips the condom on and when she nods he slides into her tight heat slowly. She tenses and his kisses every bit of skin he can reach until her legs wrap around his waist. They rock together lazily and his fingers find her clit easily, rubbing it slowly and in tandem with his thrusts. Her mewls of pleasure make it hard for him to keep a steady rhythm and when she tries to make words they come out as half gasps and grunts and his control nearly snaps.

The heat grows in her belly to the point where it is nearly unbearable so she slides her hand on top of the one that is working her clit and she presses his fingers down a little harder and he seems to get the message because her nipple is in his mouth and his cock starts to slam into her quickly and more erratically and when he feels her walls clench around him he reluctantly pulls his mouth way from her rose-y bud to witness the look on her face when she comes apart around him.

He follows soon after and he chants her name while his hips smack against hers.

She steals his shirt and they order pizza.

His face is buried in between her legs while the fireworks go off outside that night.

The first time they exchange 'I love yous' is after her first performance of Swan Lake for the dance theater.

She's graceful and gorgeous and his hands and cock itch for her.

When everyone takes their final bows she runs of the stage and into his arms and he whispers a thousand compliments into her ear and she nuzzles her face into his shoulder.

"I love you." She sighs.

He's stunned.

Not because he didn't already know. But it's everything he's wanted her to say since he came to understand his feelings for her. He swallows thickly but before he can reply her family has come to greet them and Jon plucks her out of Gendry's arms and spins her while they hug. Robb is next and Gendry watches as Robb says something into her ear that makes her eyes water. Theon says something nice followed by something vulgar about ballerina's that earns him a slap on the back of the head from Arya. Sansa and her mother gush about how beautiful she is and how proud of her they are and when everyone has said their piece they leave her to Gendry once again.

She gives him a quick peck on the lips and heads back stage to get her bag so they can leave. His palms sweat and he feels nervous around her for the first time since they got back together.

They're in the back of his car and she is riding him wildly when he says it.

"I…fucking…love you." He grunts and she stills for a moment. He thinks he's screwed it all up but all she does is make her hip movements a little more slow and when she gets his cock as far into her as she can she says it back.

"I love you too."

He tells her he loves her twenty more times before he comes deep inside of her.

The first time he proposes to her is horrendous.

They get into the same college and now live together off campus.

He buys the ring on an impulsive whim when he is helping Jon pick out a ring for Ygritte.

It's simple and gold with a small circular diamond and two red rubies and when he shows it to Jon and Robb they hug him and he finally feels like he has brothers, a family.

He makes dinner and puts on a cd he made for her. And when she gets home from class they eat, she tries to politely comment about how undercooked the meat is but he's so nervous that he doesn't even hear her.

In fact he doesn't hear her when she says that she suddenly doesn't feel well.

He gets down on one knee and opens his mouth to propose but she runs to the bathroom to throw up. He knocks over the candle on the table when he goes to rush to her side.

This sets the table cloth on fire.

In a panic he drops the rings and grabs the fire extinguisher from beneath the sink.

He tells Robb, Jon, and Theon and they don't stop laughing for weeks.

The second time is much more successful. They take a day trip to Winterfell and he packs blankets, food, and hot chocolate and he proposes to her halfway through the movie-at-the-park and she cries and smells like the lemon cakes he brought.

The first pregnancy is weird and uncomfortable and not just because of the things it does to her body.

It starts out with her thinking that she has a stomach-flu; she takes a few days off from her classes to rest. Sansa drops by and holds her hair back while she vomits into the porcelain bowl. She pays no mind to the fact that she only feels sick in the morning until Sansa buys three pregnancy tests.

All positive.

Sansa squeals and starts talking about names and how they can turn the guest bedroom into a nursery but Arya hears none of this.

Instead Arya thinks about how she is not even close to being done with school and how she and Gendry have only been married for a year. Her head spins and she asks Sansa to leave as politely as she can muster. Sansa nods and squeezes Arya's hands before she leaves.

She paces for hours.

When Gendry gets home he knows that something is wrong when Arya gives him a forced smile. She won't let him touch her and she paces for a few minutes before she turns to him.

"I'm pregnant."

Its two words that he was not expecting to hear. Not now at least. Not when they are still practically newlyweds and when they both are still in college and barely have time to do anything besides study. But he's happy.

He's so happy in fact that he falls to his knees in front of her and cries happy tears while her rubs his fingers over her belly. She doesn't make a sound as he talks sweetly to her abdomen and he tries to search her eyes for her true feelings on this matter but he can't read the signs she's giving him.

He leads her to the oversized tub that drew them to this apartment originally and gets the bath filling while he takes off all over her clothes and pulls her hair into a bun the best he can. When he's satisfied with how much water is in the tub he helps her into it cautiously. They usually take baths together but he doesn't know what she's feeling and doesn't want to push anything.

Her hand tugs at his and he feels rather stupid. He strips quickly and Arya scoots forward in the bath so that he can sit with his legs on either side of her with her back on his chest. He doesn't know where or how to start this conversation so he waits patiently for her to start.

"What…what are we going to do?" She says quietly. The vulnerability in her voice shocks him because it's so completely un-Arya like. She can be sweet and sensitive especially when it comes to him, but she's always sure in what she says.

"What do _you _want to do?" He questions as he tangles his hand into her hair. He wants this baby, but he wants Arya more and if she doesn't want to do this then that's that and they can always try again later. Her hand rubs her stomach absent mindedly and presses her lips together.

"I think that we can do this. I can take online classes and we can try to find an actual house to rent." When his eyes close he can picture it, a house and a baby and Nymeria can finally stay with them if they have an actual yard for her and his eyes feel a little wet and he kisses her cheek and tells her of all of the things that he can imagine for them.

Half way through the pregnancy they move into a house and when his wife and her growing belly sprawl onto the bed after everything is finally unpacked and put away, he thinks he might be in heaven.

Things don't stay great for long because within a week she begins to worry about her ability to be a mother and when they find out it's a boy she cries and wishes for her father's comfort more than anything in the world.

She talks about how horrid she will be as a parent and how he deserves a better wife. She says things about herself that make him sick and when he can't take it anymore he calls Catelyn Stark and she drives all night to comfort her youngest daughter. He's kicked out of the house when Sansa shows up and the woman usher Arya to bed where they lie down and rub her belly and praise her kindness and strength and when that doesn't work, Sansa says that maybe she's right, maybe she _can't _do it and that's all the challenge Arya needs to shut up and make her resolve unbreakable.

She's going to do it.

Be a mother and she's going to kickass at it.

The baby comes right on time and Arya cries and wales as she pushes and Gendry holds her hand and thanks every god old and new that he has her. _His strong wolf woman. _

A different kind of cry sounds in the room when Ned Waters is born and Arya holds him to her chest and he's pink and squishy and loud but _gods _is he perfect.

When Gendry announces to the family that both mother and baby are well, there is a large commotion as they all gather together as a family and enter the birthing suit.

Jon pulls Gendry aside and they hold each other tight.

There are a lot of firsts after that. First laugh and step and word.

The second pregnancy test that shows up positive makes Arya and Gendry dance half naked in the kitchen while two year old Ned laughs gleefully.


End file.
